NATIONALISTS AND THE STATE

Issues between Quebec and Canada...

1871 - Abolish right to separate schools in New Brunswick

(hurts Catholics)

1885 - Hanging of Louis Riel (seen as anti-Catholic and

anti-French gesture)

1890 - Abolish right to separate schools in Manitoba (hurts

Francophone Catholics)

Issues between Quebec and Canada...

Creates a strong nationalist

sentiment in Quebec

francophones & other catholic

francophones in the country

First examples of Nationalism...● Boer War (1899)

● South Africa

● England fighting with Dutch south-africans

● Wanted possession of mines (natural resources)

● England wanted help from canada

● Created divisions in Canada between english and french

Boer War● English canadians

wanted to help England

● Wanted Wilfrid Laurier

(Canadian Prime

Minister) to adopt law to

send troops to south

africa

Boer War● French canadians did not

agree

● Boer war has no

connection to Canada

● We’re not sacrificing our

lives for England!

Boer War● Wilfrid laurier makes

Compromise

● Volunteers can fight (7000

go)

● England is responsible $$$

● French canadians still think

it’s too much

World War One 1914-1918● Canada participates as part of Dominion of England

● Volunteers:

● 40% English Canadiens

● 55% British immigrants

● 5% French canadians

● Major loss of life => lots of canadian soldiers die

World War One● 1917 => Canada needs

replacement soldiers but no

volunteers

● Robert Borden (Canadian PM)

creates conscription

● Canada is divided once again

Opinions on ConscriptionFrench: NO

● Why should Canada have to fight a

European war?

English: YES

● We need to help our ‘brothers’

Riots in Montreal!

Henri Bourassa● Against conscription

● Defends rights of french

canadians in canada

● Tries to influence government

through writings and political

means

World War 2● 1939 => no conscription promised by government

● 1940 => conscription for home defense only

● 1941 => volunteers diminishing

● 1942 => Mackenzie King (PM of canada) asks canadians

to release him of his promise

● 1942 => plebiscite (vote)

● Majority of quebec says no, rest of canada says yes

Reactions to plebiscite & conscription● Coalition organized => Ligue pour la défense du Canada

(Henri Bourassa, Michel Chartrand, Jean Drapeau, Andre

Laurendeau, Maxime Raymond)

● Campaigns /demonstrations against conscription

● Group fights for right of french canadians

● Many arguments between english and french canadians

Quebec Nationalism 1960● Post 1960s: Quebec starts to ask for change in political

status

● Quebec wants to be considered distinct society

○ Within Canada

○ Quebec should have political autonomy from Canada

(separate from Canada)

Quebec Nationalism 1960-1970● New political parties in quebec

● 1963 Rassemblement pour l’Independence Nationale

(RIN)

● 1967 Mouvement Souverainete - Association (MSA)

● 1968 Both joined together to form Parti Quebecois (PQ)

=> Rene Levesque became leader of PQ in 1976

Quebec Nationalism 1960-1970● Many debates between Rene Levesque (PQ leader) and

Pierre Elliot Trudeau on Quebec and separation

● Trudeau and Levesque worked together as writers for

cite libre magazine

● Trudeau was from Quebec and fought for united canada

● Levesque wanted Quebec to be politically independent

from canada

Quebec Nationalism 1970-1990● PQ pushes for quebec sovereignty

● Rene Levesque calls 1st referendum for

sovereignty-association in 1980

● Non violent political measure

● Ask quebec population to vote

No = 59.56% Yes = 40.46%

Quebec Nationalism 1970-1990● At the same time as separation movement, many

conferences to discuss canada’s constitution

● Where Quebec stands within canada

● Quebec wants more autonomy => distinct society in

canada

Quebec Nationalism 1970-1990● Other provinces wanted more power to decide on laws

in their own provinces

● Canada proposes change to constitution => rejected by

quebec

● Other provinces didn’t want quebec to be a distinct

society

Quebec Nationalism 1970-1990● Other attempts to get quebec on board

○ Meech lake accord 1987

○ Charlottetown accord 1992

○ Meetings fail

1987 - Other Provinces refuse to sign agreement

1992 - Canadian voters refuse to allow Quebec to be

distinct

Quebec Nationalism 1970-19901995 => 2nd referendum for sovereignty-association

Non violent political measure

Ask quebec population to vote

No = 50.6%

Yes = 49.4%

1995 Referendum and Consequences● Because 1995 was close => canadian government

creates clarity act in 2000

● Questioning certain rules if any province wants to

separate from canada

● Is 51% yes enough for a province to separate?

● Can parts of quebec rejoin canada?

● This makes it more difficult for official separation

FLQ Crisis 1960- early 1970s● Front de Libération du Québec

● Group that wanted Quebec independence

● 1963-1972 => violent measures to demand

independence

● Bombings, molotov cocktails, kidnappings, murder

● October crisis begins

○ Quebec minister Pierre Laporte was kidnapped and

murdered on Oct 10 1970

Mailbox bombs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxhbzCRLVVo

35 minutes

October Crisis● After kidnap & murder, Premier of Quebec Robert

Bourassa asked for help from PM Pierre Elliot Trudeau

● Trudeau enacted war measures act

○ Army called into quebec

○ Suspend rights of citizens

○ Searches without warrants

○ Stop people in the street to ask for ID

○ Curfew

October Crisis Early 1970s

“Just Watch Me”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-7_a2wa2dd4

Pierre Elliott Trudeau 1970

October Crisis● In 1971-72 FLQ members arrested

● War measures act not always well received

● Some people thought it was too much

● Major difference to understand

○ FLQ used violence to get independence

○ PQ was political party that used NON violent

measures to get independence